Coconut Chix Stix

• FOR THE STIX
• 8 to 12 chicken tenders, 2 or 3 per person
• 2 eggs, whisked with a pinch of salt to let the whites relax and better incorporate with the yolks
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup unsweetened dried coconut (available from any natural foods store with a decent bulk bins section)
• Generous pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
• 12 grinds from a pepper mill
• FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons Mae Ploy (sweet chili sauce)
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons lemongrass paste (available in a tube in the produce aisle)
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1" of grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• 1/2 cup scallion greens sliced 1/4" thick for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
2. Pour the whisked eggs onto a plate. Scatter the flour over a separate plate.
3. In a bowl, stir together the Panko, coconut, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Pour them out onto a third plate.
4. Working with two tenders at a time, dip them into the egg, then into the flour, turning them over so that each side is covered. Dip them back into the egg, then lay them in the crumb/coconut mixture. Cover the tenders with the crumbs, pressing down firmly to adhere a good crust. I know, there's a whole lot of dipping going on, but if you follow this sequence, you'll have an excellent crisp crust as opposed to a soggy one, or one where approximately half of it won't stick to anything but your fingers. And if you use tongs, adherence of all the layers will be even better and your hands won't be a mess. Transfer tenders to the baking sheet. Discard the egg, flour, and crumbs.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the tenders are gently browned and a thermometer inserted in the middle registers 165 degrees.
6. While the tenders are baking, make the dipping sauce. Whisk together all of the sauce ingredients, except for the Sriracha. First taste the sauce, then add drops of Sriracha if you need it to be hotter. I do. The sauce may appear on the thin side. Not to worry; the crisp, crunchy coating will nap it perfectly without picking up so much that it is overpowering.
7. Serve the tenders alongside a bowl of the dipping sauce that you've garnished with thinly sliced greens of scallions. The chicken will be perfectly tender, the crust crisp with notes of sweet, and the sauce bright and spicy. You might never go back to shrimp.

stix, chicken, eggs, flour, bread crumbs, coconut, generous, kosher salt, pepper, dipping sauce, unsweetened coconut milk, sesame oil, lemongrass paste, ginger, kosher salt, sriracha, scallion

Taken from food52.com/recipes/26680-coconut-chix-stix (may not work)